Sensei gets a lot of respect here in Japan. We refer to him almost always as Sensei in public, and the Japanese pick up on that. Sensei is the Japanese word for Teacher, and in and of itself it doesn't hold that much status. However, when we all address him as such, it garners a lot of nice attention for him, and the Japanese treat him with a respect bordering on reverence, especially when they find out that he has been doing Karate for more that 45 years.
On Miyajima, however, Neko-San was king. Picked up dockside by a bus, we went to the
Miyajima Arimoto Grand Hotel, a lovely Ryokan style hotel. The shuttle buss pulled up in front of the hotel after an exciting ride on narrow roads, and we were greeted by a woman in a lovely Yukata. She showed us inside, and we didn't even have time to put down our bags before Neko-San was greeted by name, and handed a registration form, already personalized. Japan's level of service is above and beyond ANYTHING we've ever experienced.
Kajima-San was apparently assigned to us, and he showed us our rooms. They were two huge rooms, facing the Torii bay. We had agreed beforehand that the Dan-grades shared one room, and the other boys one. Boys got room 302, a semi western style room, with two beds. Usagi-San wanted a bed, in stead of futon, so he got lucky as the rest wanted the Ryokan experience with sleeping on the tatami.
The blackbelts got the sweet deal. A huge four room apartment. Amazing. Upon entering the room, shoes came off, and slippers came on. Kneeling by a sliding door, Kajima-San opened a door, and it was an amazing sight!
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| Makiwara-San, kneeling on the tatami, watching Kojima-San making tea. |
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| Some prefer the pillow ;) |
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| Tea, maple cakes and apple! Oishii! |
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| Delicious cake with red been filling! |
Staying at a Ryokan makes for an interesting time for simple Norwegians. Off with the familiar, and on with the Yukata. The Yukata is a traditional Japanese garment for both sexes. The men's version is quite simple in design, usually, and is worn with or without a west, and with both and obi and geta shoes.
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| Neko-San sporting the whole nine yards! |
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| Makiwara-San wearing something NOT BLACK! 0_o |
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| Sensei looking like he fits in! :D |
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| We were in 301. The smallest room ;) |
Kenjima-San showed us how to tie the obi, and told us that we were free to use the Onsen at the hotel. A heated public bath, albeit not hot spring based, for relaxing. Everyone is naked and clean. Tattoos usually are strictly forbidden, but our friend told us to show up after 22:00, and we should be fine! He actually joined us when his shift was finished, although I think it was by chance and nothing more =)
We got dressed, and went for dinner! We thought we were to have dinner in the dining hall, but we were wrong. Very wrong. We got sent downstairs, to a SPECIAL place where Neko-San really felt great!
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| Neko-San never had his name lit up on a entrance post before! |
Stayed tuned for the dinner, coffee and the pink sake!
/Kristian
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